Conventional pipe clamps of this type are typically supported within an elongated, upwardly open channel member having side walls with right angle flanges, extending towards each other. Metal straps which each include inner and outer end portions and a central portion therebetween, employ inner end portions having projecting feet to opposite sides which reside within the interior of the channel member and underly the laterally opposed, facing flanges. Thus, the inner end portions of the straps are typically configured for locking into the channel member with the central portion of the straps extending outwardly therefrom. The straps are either flexibly wrapped about a portion of the periphery of the pipe, while facing each other, or bent or curved to adapt to the surface configuration of the pipes. Typically, the straps are identical and, terminate in outer end portions which extend radially beyond the pipe crossing the channel member normally at right angles, and in which the outer ends of the straps have holes within the center of the same. The holes are aligned, and typically receive a headed bolt with the shank of the bolt passing through the aligned slots and have a nut threaded to the threaded end of the shank. Whereupon, by means of a screwdriver, a wrench, or the like. A bolt is threaded into the nut, and tightened down, tightening the straps about the periphery of the pipe and holding the pipe in contact with the underlying supporting channel member. Such pipe clamps are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,375,513; 2,846,169; 3,417,951; 3,527,432; 3,145,962; 4,044,428; and 4,516,296.
Wherein, the channel member is crossed by a series of parallel, closely spaced pipes, with pipe clamps holding each of the pipes in contact with the underlying common channel member, it is quite difficult, if not impossible to tighten the bolt of one clamp, because of the interference of an aligned bolt of the adjacent clamp. Typically, the bolts or screws are in horizontal alignment and centered on the top of the pipe, with the axis of the bolts or clamps extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the underlying support channel member.
Such problem caused by multiple, closely positioned pipe clamps is illustrated in FIG. 1 of yet a further U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,965. That patent is directed to a modified pipe clamp, utilizing a pair of complementary clamping straps of identical length. However, the straps terminate in outer end portions which while facing each other, are twisted relative to the central portions of the straps, so that, instead of the axis of the bolts of plural used for tightening the straps being axially aligned, the clamps bolt axes are skewed obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis of the underlying channel member, with the ends of the bolts accessible to tools held oblique to the axis of the channel member.
While such pipe clamps of U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,965 solve the same problem facing the Applicant in this case, it is not always possible to have access to the pipe clamps from the side of the channel member and, the pipe clamp is complicated by the requirement to twist the upper ends of the clamping straps relative to their central portions by an angle of approximately 45.degree..
It is therefore, an object of the invention to provide an easy to use clamp assembly of two clamp halves, which permit a plurality of assemblies to be mounted commonly to an underlying support such as an upright open channel member in side-by-side fashion and which permits selective tightening and untightening of the clamps without interference by the presence of the other clamps.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a two-piece pipe clamp which eliminates the necessity for twisting outer end portions of the clamp strap halves, which is of a simplified, low cost nature and which permits the location of the manipulable fastener means of the clamp assembly to be varied in its position relative to the periphery of the pipe being clamped.